Private Equity Fast Pitch

In this conversation, Erik Brooks, Founder and Managing Partner at Ethos Capital, shares his impressive journey from investment banking to founding his firm. He discusses the transformative moments in Eastern Europe that shaped his investment philosophy. Erik emphasizes the crucial role of mentorship and relationships in private equity careers. Additionally, he advocates for taking action over overthinking, sharing personal stories that highlight perseverance. Lastly, he explores the ethos of Ethos Capital, focusing on long-term benefits for all stakeholders.

We are excited to present a montage of quotes and mottos from prior guests that have inspired them throughout the years in both their careers and personal lives. As we begin a new year, we hope this special episode sets the stage and provides you with a new mindset for conquering the challenges & opportunities that lie ahead.

Bogdan Gogulan has 20 years of experience in finance, product and business development. Before initiating NewSpace Capital, he had accumulated a unique combination of cross-border experience in communication, security and defense industries. He served as VP of international operations and business development for AT Communication (Switzerland), Defendec (Baltics) and Katmerciler (Turkey), managing breakthrough projects for security and defense agencies in the Middle East and Central Asia. For years, he managed alignment and cooperation with UN agencies (BOMCA/UNDP, BOMNAF, UNODC, UNHCR, IOM) and security organizations (NATO, OSCE, ISAF). Prior to that, Bogdan worked for American Express (USA, UK) and Deutsche Bank (UK). As global sales development Program Manager and Head of Industry Analytics at American Express he was responsible for global partnerships development with top tier clients. Since 2010, Bogdan has been actively involved with UN Alliance of Civilization’s (UNAOC) participating as an OYW Ambassador in the UN Sustainable Development Goals’ initiative. Bogdan holds a BSc in Financial Economics from University of Essex and graduated from Abingdon & Whitney College. He is a co-founder and CEO of NewSpace Capital GP S.A.

Pat Maciariello is Chief Operating Officer of Compass Group and a member of Compass Diversified’s Investment Committee, which is responsible for evaluating all of the organization’s investment opportunities. In this role, he manages Compass’s investment teams and is responsible for financial and strategic oversight of its subsidiaries.  Pat is currently a director and the Chairman of BOA and Lugano Diamonds. He is also a director of 5.11, Inc., ErgoBaby, Altor Solutions,  and the Sterno Group.  Pat joined Compass Diversified in 2005. Before that, he was with Bain & Company and Deutsche Banc Alex Brown. Pat is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Columbia Business School.   He lives in San Juan Capistrano, CA with his wife, his two daughters, and their dog and cat, Rocky and Adrian. In his free time. he loves horse racing, fantasy football, hiking and doing escape rooms with his family. When he was younger (and fitter) he was an avid runner and completed eight marathons. 

Jeff Jenkins is a Founder and Partner of BCP. He serves as a member of the Investment Committee, serves on the Portfolio Committee and is involved in all areas of the firm’s investment activities. Prior to founding BCP, Jeff spent ten years working for The Shaw Group where he served many vital positions. During his tenure at Shaw, Jeff served as Chief Operating Officer of Shaw Environmental and Infrastructure, where he was responsible for operations and business development. Prior to this role, he served as President of the Commercial, State, and Local group within the Environmental and Infrastructure division. Before moving into his operating roles, Jeff served as Vice President of the Office of the Chairman where he led overall corporate development and placed a special emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and business development efforts. Prior to joining Shaw, Jeff was a Corporate and Securities Attorney at Vinson & Elkins LLP where his practice focused primarily on mergers and acquisitions, private equity and venture capital, and public securities work in a broad range of industries. Jeff received his B.A. from Louisiana State University and his J.D. from Louisiana State University after attending law school at the University of Texas.

Mark is a founding partner and President of Alpine. Mark also co-founded ASG, the firm’s vertical SaaS platform. He has been involved as board member in over 25 past and present Alpine investments. Prior to Alpine, Mark has served in several CEO roles for venture and PE-backed businesses and has over 30 years of experience as an investor and operator. Mark received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his Bachelors of Science in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University, where he graduated with honors and served as a four-year letter winner and captain of the baseball team.

Paul W. Swaney III, the founder of Swaney Group Capital, brings a wealth of experience from the military and leading roles in major corporations like Amazon. In the discussion, he shares insights on revitalizing industrial companies and the importance of mentorship in finance. Swaney emphasizes soft skills over technical know-how, highlighting their role in private equity success. He also addresses the impact of technology on the workforce and the need for a supportive community for aspiring entrepreneurs, making valuable lessons for both investors and young professionals.

Jack Purcell, Managing Partner – Jack is a Managing Partner and member of the Management and Investment Committees at Ridgemont Equity Partners. He is primarily responsible for general management of the firm and additionally focuses on the group’s investment activity in the Business & Tech-enabled Services and Industrial Growth sectors, serving on the boards of a number of Ridgemont’s portfolio companies.  Jack joined Banc of America Capital Investors, the in-house private equity arm of Bank of America and predecessor partnership to Ridgemont, in 2002 and led investments across a variety of industry sectors including industrials, business services, and healthcare. He worked in various other roles throughout his BACI tenure.  Jack earned his M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in Finance and a B.A. in Economics from Davidson College.

  Steve Gord, Partner, Hidden River Strategic Capital Steve Gord has over 25 years of experience in the small company investment business. He is one of the co-founders of Hidden River Strategic Capital, a Radnor, PA-based SBIC fund that invests structured junior capital into owner-operator run small businesses. From 2008-2020, Steve was a co-founder and general partner in the first two funds at SBIC Boathouse Capital. Earlier in his career, Steve spent five years at BDC American Capital Strategies investing in junior capital transactions, in the consumer investment banking group at Robertson Stephens, in the M&A and private equity practices at Compass Partners and in the investment banking group at Furman Selz.   Steve obtained a BA in economics from Dartmouth and an MBA from Tuck.

Steve Young a Partner, the Chairman and Co-founder of HGGC Steve is a Partner, the Chairman and Co-founder of HGGC. Steve is a member of HGGC’s Management Committee, Investment Committee and Valuation Committee. He serves as Chairman of the Board of three HGGC portfolio companies: IDERA, Integrity and AutoAlert. Prior to their sales, he also served as a member of the Board of Directors for the firm’s exited investments in hybris Software, Dealer-FX, Serena Software and Sunquest Information Systems. Prior to the inception of HGGC, Steve's professional football career spanned more than fifteen years in the NFL, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers, where he received numerous accolades, including Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXIX, Sports Illustrated and Sporting News' Player of the Year from 1992 - 1994 and the NFL's Most Valuable Player for 1992 and 1994. In 2005, Steve was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first left-handed quarterback to be so honored. When he retired, Steve was the highest-rated quarterback in NFL history and has the distinction of being the only signal caller in league annals to win four consecutive NFL passing titles. Steve founded and chairs the Forever Young Foundation which is actively involved in children's charities worldwide and is currently the broadcast host as well as the former International Spokesperson for the Children's Miracle Network, which has raised over one billion dollars world-wide to benefit children's hospitals.